Author Wab Kinew and Dr. Niigaan Sinclair to lead One Book Lambton Discussion in Sarnia

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Wyoming, ON - Wab Kinew, the author of One Book Lambton's featured title selection, The Reason You Walk, will visit Lambton County on Friday, April 24, 2020 with Dr. Niigaanwewidam (Niigaan) Sinclair, an Educator and Author.
The two men will share the stage at the Sarnia Library Theatre to participate in a book discussion and examine the themes in Kinew's 2015 book that explores a father-son relationship navigating through grief and reconciliation. More details about the ticketed event will be released in March by visiting onebooklambton.ca or by following the library's social media channels.

"Lambton County Library and the One Book Lambton Planning Committee are thrilled to welcome both Wab Kinew and Niigaan Sinclair to Lambton County and have them contribute to our community's discussion about the themes in the book." says Greer Macdonell, Community Library Supervisor. "We are fortunate to have the opportunity to listen to and learn from Wab and Niigaan."

In addition to writing The Reason You Walk, Wab Kinew is an award winning musician, producer and media personality, university administrator, and author of the Governor General's Literary Award nominated children's book Go Show The World. Most recently, Kinew has started a career in politics and currently serves as the leader of the New Democratic Party in Manitoba and as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in Manitoba where he represents Fort Rouge.
Dr. Niigaan Sinclair is an Associate Professor at the University of Manitoba. He regularly speaks and writes about Indigenous issues for national and international media outlets and his writing appears bi-weekly in the Winnipeg Free Press. He has also published short stories in books like The Exile Edition of Native Canadian Fiction and Drama and graphic novels like This Place: 150 Years Retold. He is the 2018 recipient of a National Newspaper Award for best Canadian Columnist and was named 2019 Peace Educator of the Year by the Peace and Justice Studies Association at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Niigaan is co-editor of the award-winning Manitowapow: Aboriginal Writings from the Land of Water and Centering Anishinaabeg Studies: Understanding the World Through Stories and the editorial director of The Debwe Series (published by HighWater Press).

Since February, several libraries have held programs and events with ties to this year's One Book Lambton selection, The Reason You Walk. Remaining programs and events for March and April include:

• Book Discussions
  • Various Lambton County Library locations
• Online Facebook Group Book Discussion
  • A discussion question is posted weekly to the Facebook group One Book Lambton

• Memoir Writing Workshops with Shannon Maroney
  • Bestselling author and registered Counselling Specialist Shannon Maroney will lead writing workshops on exploring forgiveness and memoir writing.
    • Saturday, April 18, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery
    • Saturday, April 18, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. at the Sarnia Library

• Coping through Loss with St. Joseph's Hospice
  • An educator from St. Joseph's Hospice will lead sessions exploring how to cope through grief and loss.
    • Wednesday, March 4, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Sarnia Library
    • Thursday, March 26, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Alvinston Library
    • Wednesday, April 1, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Wyoming Library
    • Monday, April 6, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. at the Corunna Library
    • Wednesday, April 15, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. at the Forest Library

• Film Screening: Aftershock with filmmaker Dwayne Cloes
  • Filmmaker Dwayne Cloes will be screening his documentaries Aftershock and We Are Still Here then discussing them with residential school survivor, Geraldine Robertson.
    • Monday, March 23, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. at the Mooretown Library
    • Saturday, March 28, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. at the Sarnia Library Theatre
    • Thursday, April 9, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at the Camlachie Theatre
    • Monday, April 20, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at L.C.C.V.I., Petrolia

The Reason You Walk by Wab Kinew is available for borrowing from Lambton County Library, and electronic copies are available through the library's mobile apps including Libby and cloudLibrary.

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Please contact:
Greer Macdonell Community Library Supervisor, Libraries Department
Cultural Services Division County of Lambton
519-845-3324 ext. 5243 
greer.macdonell@county-lambton.on.ca